Dear new mama,
You did it, you absolute rock star. You birthed a tiny human and they are perfect, you are amazing!
Now starts the best promotion of your life and your new job is going to be the most rewarding yet. There is lots of training to be done so be prepared to put in the hours, but there is nothing quite like the satisfaction you will receive.
The next few hours, days, weeks are going to be tough, but don’t give up. You are learning on the job and your new baby is learning too. They don’t expect you to know everything on day one, just as they don’t.
And as they must learn to breathe, smile, walk and run, you too must learn all the new skills you need to be a Mum.
It’s ok to cry, to feel overwhelmed and scared. But it’s also ok to feel calm, collected and unphased by this life change. However you feel is perfectly normal for you and it will change day by day. But make sure you talk to someone if you are worried about how you feel, you are important too.
Don’t be ashamed to ask for help, you don’t have to do this alone.
Being a new Mum can be one of the most loving experiences of your life, but it can also feel the loneliest at times too. There is support out there, even if you want to seek it from outside your friends and family. Lean on people you love, don’t worry about those you don’t and just take in every second of bonding with that beautiful new baby in your arms.
Feeding may feel hard, painful even, but make sure you seek support. Breastfeeding is a skill that everybody needs to learn, you are a team. Don’t feel pressured by anyone to do anything that doesn’t feel right and just take each day as it comes. Feeding isn’t an easy journey and every day is new, remember they are learning too.
Don’t be afraid to say no.
To people visiting, to people holding the baby, to negative advice or unhelpful criticism. Those first few days and weeks are a bubble you will never get back, so keep it positive. After all it’s your baby and you will do things your way.
Go out, get fresh air and show your baby off. Even if it’s just a walk around the block, getting outside can be a miracle cure for those early stage baby blues and sleep deprivation. You are strong and you are in control, this is your baby and you know what you are doing. And if something goes wrong, the baby cries, the buggy won’t open, just take a moment, remember thousands of parents have been here before and carry on.
Nobody is judging you, other mums will likely remember the struggle and give you a reassuring smile or some help.
But most of all, remember that this time doesn’t last forever. The sleep deprivation, the hormone imbalance, the tears, the anxiety, it all passes. But so do the baby snuggles, the squishy faces, the private moments in the middle of the night whilst they feed, the baby smell and the oxytocin, so cherish them and make them last as long as you can.
You are fantastic and you are a Mum, there is no greater achievement.
Every day is a new start and every moment is a new memory. Enjoy them.
Love, a fellow Mama
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